Troy Tulowitzki is losing ground on the all-star voting, even as his season gains traction. Dexter Fowler is trying to get his season on track, but it won’t be without spending more time in Colorado Springs as he was optioned to Triple-A Colorado Springs following the end of his rehab assignment.

Tulowitzki, who is hitting .276 with 13 home runs and 46 RBIs, has led the All-Star Game voting at every juncture, but Mets’ shortstop Jose Reyes is closing the gap. Tulowitzki has 2,385,991 votes to Reyes’ 1,972,820.

“It’s gonna be a close one,” Tulowitzki said today. “(Reyes) will make it for sure. He’s having a great year.”

Fowler will remain in Colorado Springs to work on his left-handed swing. He’s determined to keep switch-hitting. But for it to make sense he has to close the hole in is swing — he’s been vulnerable to sliders left-handed all season, leading to an alarming number of strikeouts for a leadoff hitter. If the Rockies called up him now, he’d only be a fourth outfielder, playing behind Charlie Blackmon.

As for the all-star game, Carlos Gonzalez ranks 12th among all outfielders in the voting. It’s unfortunate for it to happen this way, but Todd Helton’s chances of making the team increased with Albert Pujols sidelined for 4-to-6 weeks with a fracture in his left forearm. Helton, batting .314 with nine home runs and 30 RBIs, has been the Rockies’ most consistent offensive performer this season.

First base, however, is a tough spot to crack with the Reds’ Joey Votto, Milwaukee’s Prince Fielder and Florida’s Gaby Sanchez possibly the Marlins’ lone representative.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.